David Cameron will today attempt to read the riot act to other world leaders
over their poor attempts to meet internationally agreed aid targets.

It comes as he faces criticism from some MPs that Britain has given the most - in terms of national wealth – of all the major economies.

In the G8’s “Accountability Report” presented to world leaders at the meeting in France, it was clear that the UK had stuck most closely to commitments.

The UK contributed £8.5 billion last year, which is 0.56 per cent of gross domestic product. That compares with Germany’s £7.8bn, which is only 0.38 per cent of GDP; America’s £18.5bnm which is 0.21 per cent.

The French figure for last year is £7.9bn which amounts to 0.5 per cent of GDP.

The stark statistic that will infuriate those who believe Britain gives too much in aid – particularly at a time of domestic austerity – is that the G8 average for last year was 0.28 per cent of GDP, half the British level.

The Gleneagles targets had been agreed by world leaders in the run up to the Gleneagles Summit in 2005 and were the product of long negotiations by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

However, the world economic crisis that struck two and three years later seemed to stop many countries in their tracks.

The Deauville report admits that since the economic crisis in 2008 the G8 countries have struggled to maintain their commitments.

But at a meeting today Mr Cameron will make a plea to other world leaders not to allow their pledges to simply evaporate.

Last nigh the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We made a clear commitment that we wouldn’t balance the budget on the backs of the world’s poorest.

“We’ve made promises and we need to stick to them.”

But a senior British official was more realistic, and appeared to admit defeat.

He said: “We have moved away from the aid agenda because countries are not in a position to make new commitments and when you look at the pressure they are under because of the fiscal position you can see why.”

Last week, a leaked letter from Liam Fox, the Defence Secretary, revealed tensions between him and the Prime Minister over Britain’s commitment to enshrining in law the country’s level of overseas aid. His views reflect disquiet from some Tory MPs at the amount of taxpayers’ money being sent to countries like Pakistan and India.